The restaurateur behind the now-closed House Red Vinoteca in Forest Park anticipates his new Oak Park restaurant will open next month.

Novo Restaurant and Wine Bar will occupy the former Klay Oven space at 734 Lake St. in Oak Park, and will be a blend of a gastropub, American bistro and wine bar, said owner Neb Mrvaljevic. Novo is slated to open in January 2016.

"I always wanted to take House Red to the next level," Mrvaljevic said.

The success of House Red's wine shop and bistro combination showed great results, Mrvaljevic said. Because the building's owners sold the Forest Park property and House Red's lease expired, "we were kicked out, basically," he said.

But the idea of opening a restaurant in Oak Park was promising, since much of House Red's clientele came from Oak Park anyway, Mrvaljevic said.

With support from the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation, Mrvaljevic found the Lake Street space, which became available when Klay Oven closed in May, around the time that House Red closed.

The space, at 1,700 square feet, has required some work, as it's transformed from an Indian restaurant to what he called an "industrial, rustic, modern" space with an exposed ceiling and exposed brick, Mrvaljevic said.

"We decided to kind of start fresh," he said.

Novo — referring to the Latin expression "de novo," meaning beginning again or anew — will feature a combination of different cuisines, with an emphasis on local, farm-to-table offerings.

"I think people are getting more and more sophisticated in terms of what they want," Mrvaljevic said.

Diners will see small plates as part of the chef-driven menu, Mrvaljevic said, and a selection of wines and cocktails. Prices will range from $8 to $12 for appetizers, $15 to $30 for entrees, $8 to $12 for a glass of wine and $10 to $12 for cocktails, Mrvaljevic said.

"I like to say casual, but refined," he said of the restaurant's vibe.

Chef Devon Owens, who previously worked at House Red and Marion Street Cheese Market and currently works at Carnivore, will run Novo's kitchen. Messages left for Owens were not returned.

Viktor Schrader, economic development manager of the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation, said he looks forward to Owens' high-quality and creative menu. And he's excited to see Mrvaljevic join the Hemingway Business District.

A version of this article appeared in print on December 17, 2015, in the Franklin Park Herald-Journal section of the Chicago Tribune with the headline "Wine-focused gastropub coming to Lake Street - House Red owner moving" —
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